Over the past several years I have struggled to create and follow a sleep routine because I had not been taking care of myself in the way that I should have. I also experienced difficulties in transitioning to bedtime as it is the end of the day. However, I have begun to realize that by doing so, I am lessening the need to nap during the day as I have in the past.

As an autistic adult, one of the things I struggle with is transitioning from one thing to the next. I would say that going to sleep is one of the hardest struggles that I had to experience in the journey of my independent life. But I now know that it is a necessary thing and despite my gripes about it and the fear of not being able to get up the next morning for things that I need to do or places I need to go, they are certainly invalid.

A month ago, I realized that the medication that helps me sleep is a necessity. Also, as much as I would like to operate non-stop, that is not a reality either. For most of my life, I had been deeply influenced by what my parents had told me to do. When I lived independently, because of being under their rigidity for so long, I became very rebellious and until recently really understood that while I can decide when I want to do, there are some parameters that must be followed, thus seeing the medication as a benefit to my mental health and being the person that everyone enjoys to be around.

Now that I understand the necessity of what I need to do, the next thing was to work towards a sleep routine. It is a proven fact that 40% of autistic individuals struggle with sleep and as such, getting and staying asleep can be a challenge for many. While I had long believed that my parents had the doctor many years ago order medication to help me sleep because of an experience I had in the early days of being diagnosed. It helps me sleep because it helps me shut off the overpowering brain so some quality sleep can be had.

I am now to the point where I understand that I need to sleep every day because there are so many benefits to sleeping and increasingly, sleep is getting much better after many years of it not being such. My body naturally wakes itself at the same time every day and it helps me understand that it is indeed time to adhere to my routine as I am an early riser.

As there is longer and better sleep, I also am less dependent on a nap on the days that are not overly challenging. I have accepted that naps are necessary at times, but when things are not overwhelming, I can make it throughout the day without a need to nap. But things will happen within time and as sleep continues to get better, there will be less of a dependence on napping.

Acknowledging, creating, and following a sleep routine as I live independently has been something that I have needed to conquer for some time and now I have. I am doing so much better as a result and now working at knowing the need to fall and stay asleep. It is a process that can be discouraging, but once it is mastered, it is such a great thing.